Process for the treatment of volcanic rocks.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CORNELIUS MASSACIU', 0F PANKOW, NEAR BERLIN, AND AUGUST NEUMANN, OF OHARLOTTENBURG, GERMANY.

PROCESS FOR THE TREATMENT OF VOLCANIC ROCKS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 24, 19M.

No Drawing. Application flied May 9, 1913, Serial No. 766,657. Renewed August 9, 1916, Serial No.

To all il /107R it may concern.

llc it known that we, Dr. (lonNnmUs lllissaclf' and Anous'r NEUMANN, subjects of the German Emperor, residing at, rcspee tively, lankow, near Berlin, Germany, and Clnirlottcnburg. Berlin, Germany, have invcntcd a certain ncw and useful Process for the Zlreatment ot' Volcanic Rocks, of which the foll wing is .a s1n-cil'icntion.

I in studying various minerals or rocks of wolcanic ol'igliln such as truss, trachyte, phofluctuation, which consequently, after the possessor of this exchangeability has been discovered, can only be attributed to a special change of condition or a special structural condition of the same. The microscopic examination oi. the rocks mentioned above has actually shown, that theglassy rock may be in different ihysical conditions. For instance the fresh glass, when in the shape of thin polished sheets, is transparent, clear and colorless or with only a slight yellow tint, and it produces simple optical refraction. If such clear class is subjected to a very Sharp enlargement in an immorsion microscope, wherein objects are observed under oil in order to reduce refraction of rays as much as possible, it frequently shows spots which apparently have been subject to atmospheric decay, appearing turbid and flaky and showing an uneven structure. 011 polarized light this material has no etl'ect and musttherefore be described as amorphous. If the polished sheets of these various glassyconstituents are treated with dyes, such as methylene blue, they show a remarloible contrast as regards thcir structure. By this treatment the clear homogeneous glass base is not tinted even after a long time, but the product of atmospheric decay, which has a larger surface and above all high porosity becomes tinted. It follows, that in the volcanic rocks only thc products of atmospheric decay of the glass substance have a porous structure, the said products thus allowing the liquids to penetrate easily, whereby the capacity of exchange is materially cnluinced. it is therefore reasonable to assume, that this property of the rocks mentioned at the beginning must be attributed mainly, if not exclusively, to his decayed glass rock. For supporting or elucidating this view the be harior of the class before and after artificial decay has been studied. As a measure for the exchange the capacity of absorption of these glassy materials before and after hydration by means of Knops ammonium chlorid solution has been ascertained (see alkali 4 metal hydroxid, alkaline earth by droxid, alkalhmetal carbonate, alkali-metalsilicate, etc., and neutral alkalisalts may be added to the material during hydration or afterward, if necessary, to avoid a slimy or gelatinous condition of the reaction product.

\Ve have fouhd, that as a rule the capacity of exchange substantially increases after the artificial hydration. For instance, While 5 grams of a natural trachyte-tutf trom the vicinity of the Lake of Laachen absorbed in. the untreated condition 32 milligrams of itrogen, this ca parity of absorption increased after hydration with alkali under pressure to about 50 milligrams per 5 grams of the material. In another case 5 grams of a. natural. palagonite-tufl from the West erwald absorbed before hydration 39 niilligrams of nitrogen and ,afterhydretion 7,1

gailligrms. In this mzinner the capacity of cayable of exchanging their bases 01' for Xchauge-increased also with regard to other- What We claim is:- 6 1 1. The process for treating VUlGIllHC rocks In testimony whereof we have hereunto nneing this property, which consists in treating such rocks wlth steam under pres sure in the presence of alkahne materials.

" haviifg a vitreous character t0 render them set our hands in presence of two subscribing (:11 Jable of exehzin ggj11g their bases or for Witnesses, an 'ancing this property, which consists in treating such rocks with steam under presiO sure.

2. Theprocess of treating volcani aurucks having a vitreous character to render them- Dn. CORNELIUS MASSACIU. AUGUST NEUMANN. W'itn'csses HENRY HAsricn, 'WQLDEMAR HAUP'r. 

